Detroit 3 Bailout

Over the past two days, we've told you what we've heard about the latest short-term federal aid coming to Chrysler and GM. According to the latest reports, it will be $5B to the latter and $500M to the former. We also mentioned it had been reported that Chrysler Financial had inexplicably turned down an additional $750M in government aid during this most recent round of handouts. It had been speculated that it was because of a refusal by CF execs to sign off on executive compensation limits in t

Is General Motors about to get an additional $5 billlion from the Feds? Will Chrysler be getting another $500 million? The Detroit News seems to think so. Citing Obama Administration sources and a leaked 250-page government report, they say that those figures are accurate. The money will reportedly come in the form of short-term aid via the $700B Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). One group we know won't be taking any additional TARP money is Chrysler Financial, allegedly refusing an addition

With the U.S. Senate denying the Detroit 3 relief plan, it looks like oil prices might continue to tumble. Our sibling site BloggingStocks is predicting barrel prices might drop as low as $35 as a result. This comes on the heels of predictions of higher prices in the near future.

What to do when you wanted $34 billion and Congress only gave you $15 billion? Try again, but this time go North young man. The Detroit 3 are now making a pitch to the Canadian legislature seeking an additional $6.8 billion from Canada where nearly 100,000 workers are employed in factories and dealerships bearing the Chrysler, General Motors or Ford name.

It's the battle of the big chins! (Who are we kidding, Leno would win that fight against anyone.) Two gentlemen who stand as giants in automotive culture have finally weighed in with their opinions on whether or not the Detroit 3 should be rescued by the U.S. government. Jay Leno is all for it, citing the loss of this country's manufacturing infrastructure as the most compelling reason to save the automakers. He also cites a number of points that have been mentioned here and elsewhere, including

It seems the entire world is still debating whether or not Rick Wagoner, Alan Mulally and Bob Nardelli should have carpooled, walked or taken the bus for their last trip to the Capitol, but that's all behind us now. The good news for those who like to play expert on the internet is that Detroit's got another date with Congress this week. Ford CEO Alan Mulally is the first of the three CEOs to announce that he'll be driving, though we expect the others to follow suit shortly.

The plan to drive a slew of Detroit's best new cars from the Motor City to Washington, DC is over before it even got started. Amazingly, there was just too much support for the idea, which led to a complete lack of control over the event and leading to its cancellation. It's just as well, really. While it would have been an awesome display of support for the ailing Detroit 3, the notion of packing Washington's already busy streets with a few hundred more vehicles, not to mention their occupants,

Remember the growing movement to caravan a few hundred of Detroit's most fuel efficient vehicles to the automaker's next meeting with Congress? Not happening. Interestingly, it wasn't for lack of support. In fact, it was just the opposite. So many people had voiced their support and announced their intentions to join in that the event's organizers just weren't able to keep up. Talk about a logistical nightmare.

Some U.S. policymakers believe that the domestic auto industry needs a multi-billion $hot in the arm, but the sticking point seems to be where to find the funds. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) is calling for a portion of the financial sector's $700 billion TARP buyout to be apportioned to Detroit, but Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson doesn't like the sound of that at all. Instead, Paulson would like to see the automakers get the $25 billion they've already been promised, and suggests that it be mad

Last week, the House of Representatives passed a bill approving a $25 billion loan for the Detroit 3. Now the Senate, by a similar margin, has passed the bill, which means it needs George W. Bush's John Hancock in order for the automakers to see their funds.

Matthias Wissmann, current head of the Verband Deutscher Automobilhersteller (VDA, or Association of the German Automotive Industry for us non-German speaking folks), is none too pleased with the passing of a $25 billion financing package for the Detroit automakers. Under the terms of the legislation, which has been approved by the House and is expected to pass through the Senate as well, the Detroit 3 will receive low-interest loans in order to finance the cost of bringing more fuel-efficient c